Skeletal Replacement System and Method of Use Thereof

ABSTRACT

A skeletal replacement system may be utilized to replace bones in a patient. The skeletal replacement system has least one skeletal replacement linkage, each skeletal replacement linkage having a first member, a second member, and a hinge. The first and second members are hingedly coupled by the hinge. Multiple skeletal replacement linkages may be coupled end to end through a shaft on the second member of a first linkage being inserted into a bore in the first member of a second linkage. Each linkage is configured to replace at least a portion of each of two bones and a joint in a patient&#39;s body. Multiple linkages may be used to replace more bones and joints as required.

The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patentapplication Ser. No. 62/119,710 filed on Feb. 23, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to osteology. More particularly,the present invention relates to bone repair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Some bodily injuries cause damage that is difficult to heal or repair.For example, injuries to the bones in fingers and toes can be difficultfor medical professionals to treat. In some instances, medicalprofessionals may be able to reset damaged bones in fingers and toes.However, in such circumstances, fingers and toes often heal with bendsor curves which can be irritating or painful for patients for the restof their lives. As an alternative to resetting damaged bones, medicalprofessionals may amputate some or all of fingers and toes. Amputationcauses permanent physical deformity, but may be a favorable outcomecompared with the irritation and/or pain from reset damaged bones.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a skeletal replacementlinkage.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a skeletal replacementlinkage.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of an embodiment of a skeletal replacementlinkage.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an embodiment of the skeletal replacementsystem with two skeletal replacement linkages.

FIG. 5 is a lowered perspective view of an embodiment of the skeletalreplacement system with two skeletal replacement linkages.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the skeletalreplacement system with two skeletal replacement linkages.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describingselected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limitthe scope of the present invention. The present invention is to bedescribed in detail and is provided in a manner that establishes athorough understanding of the present invention. There may be aspects ofthe present invention that may be practiced without the implementationof some features as they are described. It should be understood thatsome details have not been described in detail in order to notunnecessarily obscure focus of the invention.

The present invention is a skeletal replacement system 1 utilizinglinkages of members intended and configured for use in treatment, repairor replacement of bones in a human patient. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, thepresent invention generally comprises at least one skeletal replacementlinkage 10. Each of the at least one skeletal replacement linkage 10comprises a first member 110, a second member 120, and a hinge 130. Eachof the skeletal replacement linkages 10 are coupled in series with eachother, or alternatively stated, the skeletal replacement linkages 10 areconnected end to end.

The first member 110 comprises a bore 111, a first end 112 and a secondend 113. The second member 120 comprises a shaft 121, a first end 122and a second end 123. The bore 111 of the first member 110 traversesinto the first end 112 of the first member 110 opposite the hinge 130.The shaft 121 of the second member 120 extends from the second end 123of the second member 120 opposite the hinge 130. The second end 113 ofthe first member 110 and the first end 122 of the second member 120 arehingedly coupled to each other by the hinge 130. In the preferredembodiment of the present invention, the diameter of the bore 111 isselected such that the shaft 121 of another skeletal replacement linkage10 can be inserted into the bore 111. Additionally in the preferredembodiment, a diameter of the shaft 121 is selected such that the shaft121 can be inserted into a bore 111 of another skeletal replacementlinkage 10. In one embodiment, the bore 111 is concentrically positionedwithin the first member 110. Additionally, the shaft 121 isconcentrically positioned on the second member 120. However it should benoted that the bore 111 and the shaft 121 may be positioned laterallyoff-center with their respective members if necessary or desired.

In one embodiment, the first member 110 and the second member 120 arecomprised of non-metallic materials, such as a plastic or ceramic. Forexample, one form of plastic includes plastic created by threedimensional rapid prototyping machines. Furthermore, in one embodiment,the non-metallic materials comprise one or more of medical grade plasticor medical grade ceramic. In one embodiment, the first member 110 andthe second member 120 have rigidity, compression strength, and tensilestrength equal to or greater than human bones. In one embodiment, thehinge 130 includes a rod, such as a rod made from stainless steel,surgical steel, or titanium.

In a first specified embodiment, the at least one skeletal replacementlinkage 10 comprises only a single skeletal replacement linkage 10. Inthe first specified embodiment, the single skeletal replacement linkage10 is configured to replace at least a portion of each of two bones anda joint in a patient's body. FIGS. 1-3 show the first specifiedembodiment.

In various embodiments, the at least one skeletal replacement linkage 10comprises two or more skeletal replacement linkages 10. Moreparticularly, in a second specified embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-6, theat least one skeletal replacement linkage 10 comprises a first skeletalreplacement linkage 100 and a second skeletal replacement linkage 101.The second specified embodiment is configured to replace at least aportion of a first bone, a second bone, at least a portion of a thirdbone, a first joint between the first and second bones, and a secondjoint between the second and third bones in the patient's body.

In the second specified embodiment, the shaft 121 of the second member120 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100 is inserted within thebore 111 of the first member 110 of the second skeletal replacementlinkage 101, coupling the first skeletal replacement linkage 100 and thesecond skeletal replacement linkage 101 together. Thus, in oneembodiment, the shaft 121 of the second member 120 of the first skeletalreplacement linkage 100 may be adhered to the bore 111 of the firstmember 110 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101, or the shaft121 of the second member 120 of the first skeletal replacement linkage100 may be press fit into the bore 111 of the first member 110 of thesecond skeletal replacement linkage 101, or other means may be utilizedto connect the second member 120 of the first skeletal replacementlinkage 100 into the bore 111 of the first member 110 of the secondskeletal replacement linkage 101 in other embodiments.

The skeletal replacement linkage 10 can be used to replace bones in ahuman body. In the general method of use of the skeletal replacementsystem 1, a first bone of a patient is prepared to receive the shaft 121of the second member 120 of one of the skeletal replacement linkages 10.The second member 120 of the skeletal replacement linkage 10 is trimmedbased on an intended distance from the prepared first bone to anintended location of the hinge 130. The shaft 121 is inserted into theprepared first bone, and tissue is placed around the skeletalreplacement system 1. A second bone may also be removed from thepatient, wherein the first member 110, the hinge 130, and the secondmember 120 of the skeletal replacement linkage 10 are configured toreplace, respectively the second bone, a joint between the second boneand the first bone, and a portion of the first bone. The tissue may beplaced around the skeletal replacement linkage 10 by physicallyreplacing the patient's tissue around the skeletal replacement linkage10 with tissue from another body part of the patient or donor tissue, orthe tissue may be regrown around the skeletal replacement linkage 10using a stem cell technique, or the tissue may be grown around theskeletal replacement linkage 10 before inserting the shaft 121 of theskeletal replacement linkage 10 into the prepared first bone.

The following description uses an example of skeletal replacementlinkage 10 replacing bones in a finger; however, the skeletalreplacement linkage 10 can be used in other situations, such as toreplace bones in thumbs, toes, arms, legs, and the like. In one example,a patient suffered damage to the middle phalange and/or distalinterphalangeal (DIP) joint of a finger. Rather than amputating thefinger and/or resetting the damaged bones, a medical professional mayremove the distal phalange of the finger and cut off the damaged portionof the middle phalange. The medical professional can drill a bore 111 inthe remaining portion of the middle phalange to receive the shaft 121 ofthe skeletal replacement linkage 10. Once the shaft 121 of the skeletalreplacement linkage 10 is inserted into the bore 111 in the remainingportion of the middle phalange, the second member 120, the hinge 130,and the first member 110 serve to replace, respectively, the damagedportion of the middle phalange, the DIP joint, and the distal phalange.The medical professional can then restore the soft tissue of thepatient's finger around the skeletal replacement linkage 10 and closethe skin of the patient's finger.

The length that the second member 120 needs to be in the patient'sfinger depends on a number of factors, such as the original length ofthe patient's middle phalange before it was injured, the length of theundamaged portion of the middle phalange, and/or the size of thepatient's DIP joint. To allow for different lengths of the second member120, the second member 120, in one embodiment, is made from a materialthat can be trimmed by the medical professional prior to placement ofthe skeletal replacement linkage 10 in the patient's finger. Forexample, the second member 120 can be made of plastic that can betrimmed to the correct length with instruments available to the medicalprofessional, such as a scalpel. In this way, the medical professionalmay trim the second member 120 to the appropriate length as part of theprocedure to insert the skeletal replacement linkage 10 into thepatient's finger. The medical professional may determine the appropriatelength based on X-rays of the patient's finger before the injury, basedon a size of the corresponding finger on the patient's uninjured hand,or in any other way.

Similarly, the length of the shaft 121 can be determined and, if needed,trimmed prior to insertion of the skeletal replacement linkage 10 in thepatient's finger.

Once placed into a patient's finger, the skeletal replacement linkage 10provides structural stability that was previously provided by thepatient's bones. In addition for providing structural stability, theskeletal replacement linkage 10 also provides structure for theregrowing of soft tissue in the finger. Medical research has developedtechniques for regrowing various tissues, such as skin, tendon, andfingernail tissues. In one example, scientists have developed a powdermade from pig bladder tissue that stimulates stem cell growth to regrowlost tissue. The skeletal replacement linkage 10 can provide structurefor the other tissues of the finger, such as skin, tendon, andfingernail tissues, to be regrown using stem cell techniques, such aspowder made from pig bladder. In one embodiment, with a fresh wound, theskeletal replacement linkage 10 can be placed in the patient's fingereven if some or most of the patient's soft tissue no longer remainsattached to the finger and stem cell techniques can be used to promoteregeneration of the lost tissue around the skeletal replacement linkage10. In another embodiment, even after time has passed since anamputation that left a finger stub, the finger stub can be reopened tohave the skeletal replacement linkage 10 attached and then stem celltechniques can be used to grow tissue around the skeletal replacementlinkage 10. In yet another embodiment, even after time has passed sincean amputation that left a finger stub, stem cell techniques can be usedto grow tissue around the skeletal replacement linkage 10 and then thefinger stub can be reopened to have the skeletal replacement linkage 10attached with the regrown tissue already on the skeletal replacementlinkage 10.

The second specified embodiment of the skeletal replacement system 1comprising a first skeletal replacement linkage 100 and a secondskeletal replacement linkage 101 can be used to replace bones and twojoints, such as replacing a distal phalange, a DIP joint, a middlephalange, a proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint, and a portion of aproximal phalange. In this case, once the bore 111 of the second member120 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101 is inserted into abore 111 of a remaining portion of the proximal phalange, the secondmember 120 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101, the hinge 130of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101, the combination of thefirst member 110 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101 and thesecond member 120 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100, thehinge 130 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100, and the firstmember 110 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100 serve toreplace, respectively, the damaged portion of the proximal phalange, thePIP joint, the middle phalange, the DIP joint, and the distal phalange.The shafts 121 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100 and of thesecond skeletal replacement linkage 101 can be held, respectively, tothe bore 111 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101 and the bore111 in the remaining portion of the proximal phalange using a medicalgrade adhesive or any other appropriate adhesive. Alternatively, theshaft 121 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100 and the bore 111of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101 may be designed with apress fit such that the shaft 121 of the first skeletal replacementlinkage 100 will not easily be removed from the bore 111 of the secondskeletal replacement linkage 101 after it has been inserted into thebore 111 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101.

The lengths of the various linkages in the skeletal replacement system 1can be modified to fit the proper lengths of the patient's finger. Forexample, the first member 110 of the first skeletal replacement linkage100 can be trimmed to provide the proper length of the patient's distalbone. In another example, one or both of the second member 120 of thefirst skeletal replacement linkage 100 and the first member 110 of thesecond skeletal replacement linkage 101 can be trimmed such that thedistance between the hinge 130 of the first skeletal replacement linkage100 and the hinge 130 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101 isthe same as the distance between the patient's DIP and PIP joints. Inanother example, the second member 120 of the second skeletalreplacement linkage 101 is trimmed such that the hinge 130 of the secondskeletal replacement linkage 101 is located in the former position ofthe PIP joint when the shaft 121 of the second skeletal replacementlinkage 101 is inserted into the bore 111 in the undamaged portion ofthe proximal phalange.

In some instances, the distance between the hinge 130 of the firstskeletal replacement linkage 100 and the hinge 130 of the secondskeletal replacement linkage 101 may not be long enough for a particularset of circumstances. For example, a patient with particularly longfingers may need a replacement where the patient's natural DIP joint andPIP joint are further apart than the distance between the hinge 130 ofthe first skeletal replacement linkage 100 and the hinge 130 of thesecond skeletal replacement linkage 101, as shown in FIGS. 4-5. In sucha case, a spacer can be inserted in between the second member 120 of thefirst skeletal replacement linkage 100 and the first member 110 of thesecond skeletal replacement linkage 101. In one embodiment, the spacehas a cylindrical body with a diameter approximately the same as thediameter of the second member 120 of the first skeletal replacementlinkage 100 and/or the first member 110 of the second skeletalreplacement linkage 101. The spacer includes a bore 111 at one end thatis configured to receive the shaft 121 of the first skeletal replacementlinkage 100 and a shaft 121 extending from another end that isconfigured to be inserted into the bore 111 of the second skeletalreplacement linkage 101. In this way the spacer extends the distancebetween the hinge 130 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100 andthe hinge 130 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101. In anotherembodiment, one or more of the second member 120 of the second skeletalreplacement linkage 101, the bore 111 end of the spacer, the shaft 121end of the spacer, or the first member 110 of the second skeletalreplacement linkage 101 is trimmed such that the distance between thehinge 130 of the first skeletal replacement linkage 100 and the hinge130 of the second skeletal replacement linkage 101 is appropriate forinsertion into a patient.

The skeletal replacement system 1 can be modified to be used to replacebones and three joints, such as replacing a distal phalange, a DIPjoint, a middle phalange, a PIP joint, a proximal phalange,metacarpophalangeal joint, and a portion of a metacarpal bone. Themodification of the skeletal replacement system 1 includes addinganother skeletal replacement linkage 10 by inserting the shaft 121 ofthe second skeletal replacement linkage 101 into a bore 111 of a firstmember 110 of the additional skeletal replacement linkage 10 andinserting a shaft 121 of a second member 120 of the additional skeletalreplacement linkage 10 into the metacarpal bone. In this way, themodified version of the skeletal replacement system 1 would includethree joints to replace the DIP joint, the PIP joint, and themetacarpophalangeal joint.

In one example, the skeletal replacement system 1 can be used to replacebones and two joints, such as replacing a distal phalanx, a DIP toejoint, a middle phalanx, a PIP toe joint, and a portion of a proximalphalanx in a toe. In the depiction in FIG. 6, the skeletal replacementsystem 1 is arranged with the hinges 130 at angles that may be naturalangles of DIP toe joints and PIP toe joints.

The various embodiments of skeletal replacement linkages 10 and systemsdescribed herein can be sized or scaled to replace any bones and/orjoints in a patient. For example, a skeletal replacement linkage 10 withtwo members and a hinge 130 can be scaled to replace portions of apatient's arm bones and elbow. In another example, a skeletalreplacement linkage 10 with two members and a hinge 130 can be scaled toreplace portions of a patient's leg bones and knee. The variousembodiments of skeletal replacement linkages 10 and systems describedherein can provide structure for growing or regrowing tissue using stemcell techniques, such as the powder made from pig bladder tissuesdescribed above. Such stem cell techniques may not be limited toregrowing tissue for fingers and toes, but may be useful in growing orregrowing tissue in other parts of the body.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A skeletal replacement system comprises: at leastone skeletal replacement linkage, each of the at least one skeletalreplacement linkage comprising a first member, a second member, and ahinge; the first member comprises a bore, a first end and a second end;the second member comprises a shaft, a first end and a second end; theskeletal replacement linkages being coupled in series with each other;the bore of the first member traversing into the first end of the firstmember opposite the hinge; the shaft of the second member extending fromthe second end of the second member opposite the hinge; and the secondend of the first member and the first end of the second member beinghingedly coupled to each other by the hinge.
 2. The skeletal replacementsystem as claimed in claim 1 comprises: the bore being concentricallypositioned within the first member; and the shaft being concentricallypositioned on the second member.
 3. The skeletal replacement system asclaimed in claim 1 comprises: each skeletal replacement linkage beingconfigured to replace at least a portion of each of two bones and ajoint in a patient's body.
 4. The skeletal replacement system as claimedin claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member are comprisedof non-metallic materials.
 5. The skeletal replacement system as claimedin claim 4, wherein the non-metallic materials comprise one or more ofmedical grade plastic or medical grade ceramic.
 6. The skeletalreplacement system as claimed in claim 1 comprises: the at least oneskeletal replacement linkage comprises a first skeletal replacementlinkage and a second skeletal replacement linkage; and the shaft of thesecond member of the first skeletal replacement linkage being insertedwithin the bore of the first member of the second skeletal replacementlinkage.
 7. The skeletal replacement system as claimed in claim 6comprises: the shaft of the second member of the first skeletalreplacement linkage being adhered to the bore of the first member of thesecond skeletal replacement linkage.
 8. The skeletal replacement systemas claimed in claim 6 comprises: the shaft of the second member of thefirst skeletal replacement linkage being press fit into the bore of thefirst member of the second skeletal replacement linkage.
 9. The skeletalreplacement system as claimed in claim 6 being configured to replace atleast a portion of a first bone, a second bone, at least a portion of athird bone, a first joint between the first and second bones, and asecond joint between the second and third bones in the patient's body.10. A method of treating a patient using a skeletal replacement systemcomprises the steps of: providing a skeletal replacement linkage,wherein the skeletal replacement linkage comprises a first member, asecond member, and a hinge, wherein the first member comprises a bore, afirst end and a second end, wherein the second member comprises a shaft,a first end and a second end, wherein the bore of the first membertraverses into the first end of the first member opposite the hinge,wherein the shaft of the second member extends from the second end ofthe second member opposite the hinge, and wherein the second end of thefirst member and the first end of the second member are hingedly coupledto each other by the hinge; preparing a first bone of a patient toreceive a shaft of second member of the skeletal replacement linkage;trimming the second member of the skeletal replacement linkage based onan intended distance from the prepared first bone to an intendedlocation of the hinge; inserting the shaft of the skeletal replacementlinkage into the prepared first bone; and placing tissue around theskeletal replacement linkage.
 11. The method of treating a patient usinga skeletal replacement system as claimed in claim 10 comprises the stepof: removing a second bone from the patient, wherein the first member,the hinge, and the second member of the skeletal replacement linkage areconfigured to replace, respectively the second bone, a joint between thesecond bone and the first bone, and a portion of the first bone.
 12. Themethod of treating a patient using a skeletal replacement system asclaimed in claim 10 comprises the step of: placing tissue around theskeletal replacement linkage by replacing the patient's tissue aroundthe skeletal replacement linkage.
 13. The method of treating a patientusing a skeletal replacement system as claimed in claim 10 comprises thestep of: placing tissue around the skeletal replacement linkage byregrowing the tissue around the skeletal replacement linkage using astem cell technique.
 14. The method of treating a patient using askeletal replacement system as claimed in claim 10 comprises the stepof: placing tissue around the skeletal replacement linkage by growingthe tissue around the skeletal replacement linkage before inserting theshaft of the skeletal replacement linkage into the prepared first bone.